The Sullivans: Always On My Mind Part 22

Straight into a muddy ditch.

It might have been easier-smarter, too-to sit in her car and wait out the storm. But she'd been too keyed up to stay still. She'd needed to keep moving, otherwise the thoughts knocking around in her head were going to catch up with her, so she'd slung her backpack over her shoulders and stepped out into the rain, just as it turned into out-and-out hail.

The hard little pellets hurt her skin, but she'd been glad for the cold, for the sting. Because it gave her something else to focus on, something besides what had happened just hours ago.

She hadn't been sure exactly where she was-or what she was headed forabut she'd hoped she was walking in the direction of town.

All night long the roads had been strangely empty, but she'd barely starting walking away from her car when she'd realized headlights were coming up behind her.

Fear had knocked into her again as the car pulled over to the side and she'd had to stop to brace herself to withstand it. She was all alone on a dark, wet, country road. She didn't have her cell phone, and even if she had, she doubted there was enough reception out here in the storm for it to get a signal.

And then a manaa large manahad gotten out of his car and started walking toward her, telling her to get into his car.

No way.

He'd tried to convince her that she was safe with him. He'd said all the right things, but she'd had too much experience with people like that, who easily said one thing, then did another.

"I don't know you," she told him. He could be an axe murderer. She had feet. She'd walk and find a place to dry off later.

She could see the frustration on his face, knew he was about to try and reason with her again, when suddenly, the sound of skidding tires came at them. Before she knew what was happening, he was pulling her into his arms. She didn't have time to think of fighting him, didn't even consider it when she realized a fast-moving motorcycle was practically on top of them.

She closed her eyes, bracing for impact, when the man effortlessly lifted her and jumped into the ditch, holding her tightly against him.

She opened her eyes just in time to watch the motorcycle's back tires skid and then finally catch hold just in the place she'd been standing. Her heart, which had all but stopped, started racing again as she watched it speed away.

"Are you okay?"

Chloe looked up at the man who had shielded her from harm with his own body, and for the first time since he'd stepped out of his car, she was. .h.i.t hard with the realization of just how attractive he was.

No, she silently admitted to herself. Attractive was a paltry word for a man like this. Even in the darkness, she could see that he put other men to shame. As big as she'd first thought, even in the cold rain, he was utterly gorgeous.

And her body was reacting with surprising heat.

Or maybe, she suddenly realized, that heat was coming from the fact that he was still cradling her in his strong arms.

The way he'd moved her out of the way of the too-close motorcycle had her teetering on the edge of trusting him. And on any other night, perhaps it would have been enough. But was it?

They were both splattered with mud from where he'd landed with her in his arms and now that they were safe again, she struggled to stand up, to try and right her thoughts so that she could come to some sort of rational decision.

"Wait a minute," he said, "let me get us out of here."

A few moments later, he put her down on the side of the road. "It really isn't safe to be out here. Not for either of us."

Common sense told her he was right, and yet, she was still wary. Incredibly so.

But at this very moment what other choice did she have?

Replaying in her mind the way he'd protected her from harm, Chloe finally, said, "Okay. I'll go with you."

She sincerely hoped she didn't end up regretting her choice.

* excerpt from THE LOOK OF LOVE, copyright 2012 by Bella Andre *.

Buy THE LOOK OF LOVE for your Kindle.

FROM THIS MOMENT ON.

Marcus & Nicola * The Sullivans #2.

For thirty-six years, Marcus Sullivan has been the responsible older brother, stepping in to take care of his seven siblings after their father died when they were children. But when the perfectly ordered future he's planned for himself turns out to be nothing but a lie, Marcus needs one reckless night to shake free from it all.

Buy FROM THIS MOMENT ON for your Kindle.

CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE Gabe & Megan a The Sullivans #3 Gabe Sullivan risks his life every day as a firefighter in San Francisco. But after learning a brutal lesson about professional boundaries, he knows better than to risk his heart to his fire victims ever again. Especially the brave mother and daughter he saved from a deadly apartment fire...and can't stop thinking about.

Buy CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE for your Kindle.

I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU.

Sophie & Jake a The Sullivans #4 Sophie Sullivan, a librarian in San Francisco, was five years old when she fell head over heels in love with Jake McCann. Twenty years later, she's convinced the notorious bad boy still sees her as the "nice" Sullivan twin. That is, when he bothers to look at her at all. But when they both get caught up in the magic of the first Sullivan wedding, she knows it's long past time to do whatever it takes to make him see her for who she truly is...the woman who will love him forever.

Buy I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU for your Kindle.

IF YOU WERE MINE.

Zach & Heather a The Sullivans #5 Can two people who have both sworn off love find forever in each other's arms? The last thing Zach Sullivan wants is to take care of his brother's new puppy for two weeks. Until he meets the dog trainer, that is. Heather is bright, beautiful, and he can't stop thinking about her. Unfortunately, she just might be the only woman on earth who wants nothing to do with him.

Buy IF YOU WERE MINE for your Kindle.

LET ME BE THE ONE.

Ryan & Vicki a The Sullivans #6.

An unexpected friends-to-lovers romance might not only turn out to be so much hotter than anything bad boy pro baseball player Ryan Sullivan has ever known...but much, much sweeter, too.

Buy LET ME BE THE ONE for your Kindle.

COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.

Smith & Valentina a The Sullivans #7.

Movie star Smith Sullivan can't afford any distractions. He's staking his entire reputation on his new film...but he can't stop thinking about Valentina Landon and the fire he sees smoldering just beneath the surface of her cool exterior. Valentina isn't averse to sensual pleasure, or even to the idea of finding true love, but as a Hollywood business manager she's watched too many smart women fall for actors...only to be torn apart when the fairytale comes to its inevitable end. But when intense weeks together on set turn their heated attraction into red-hot flames of pa.s.sion, Smith knows he has to find a way to convince Valentina to let him get a little bit closer. Close enough to completely steal her heart...the way she's stolen his from the start.

Buy COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER for your Kindle.

COMPLETE BOOKLIST.

The following Bella Andre t.i.tles are available in electronic format from Amazon. Please scroll down for Amazon UK and Amazon Canada links as well as paperback links.

The Sullivan Family series.

The Look of Love From This Moment On Can't Help Falling In Love.

I Only Have Eyes For You If You Were Mine.

Let Me Be The One Come A Little Bit Closer.

Always On My Mind The Way You Look Tonight (Rafe Sullivan's Story, coming Summer 2013) Bad Boys of Football series Game For Love / Game For Seduction / Game For Anything Take Me series Love Me / Take Me Stand-alone Novels.

Candy Store / Ecstasy / One Perfect Night / Red Hot Reunion / Tempt Me, Taste Me, Touch Me Hotshot Firefighter series Wild Heat / Hot As Sin / Never Too Hot For Amazon UK please use the following links: The Sullivan series.

The Look of Love / From This Moment On / Can't Help Falling In Love / I Only Have Eyes For You / If You Were Mine / Let Me Be The One / Come A Little Bit Closer / Always On My Mind / The Way You Look Tonight (Rafe Sullivan's Story, coming Summer 2013) Bad Boys of Football series Game For Love / Game For Seduction Take Me series Love Me / Take Me.

Stand-alone Candy Store / Ecstasy / One Perfect Night / Red Hot Reunion / Tempt Me, Taste Me, Touch Me Hotshot Firefighter series Wild Heat / Hot As Sin / Never Too Hot For Amazon Canada please use the following links: The Sullivan series The Look of Love / From This Moment On / Can't Help Falling In Love / I Only Have Eyes For You / If You Were Mine / Let Me Be The One / Come A Little Bit Closer / Always on My Mind / The Way You Look Tonight (Rafe Sullivan's Story, coming Summer 2013) Bad Boys of Football series Game For Love / Game For Seduction / Game for Anything Take Me series.

Love Me / Take Me Stand-alone.

Candy Store / Ecstasy / One Perfect Night / Red Hot Reunion / Tempt Me, Taste Me, Touch Me Hotshot Firefighter series.

Wild Heat / Hot As Sin / Never Too Hot For paperback t.i.tles at Amazon use the following links: The Sullivan series: The Look of Love (paperback coming May 28, 2013) / From This Moment On (paperback coming June 25, 2013) / Can't Help Falling In Love (paperback coming July 30, 2013) / more paperbacks coming soon...

Bad Boys of Football series.

Game For Love / Game For Anything / Game For Seduction Take Me series Love Me.

Stand-alone.

Candy Store / Ecstasy / Red Hot Reunion / Tempt Me, Taste Me, Touch Me Hotshot Firefighter series.

Wild Heat / Hot As Sin / Never Too Hot.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

Having sold more than 1.5 million books, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Bella Andre's novels have appeared on Top 5 lists at Amazon, Apple, Barnes & n.o.ble and Kobo. After signing a groundbreaking print-only deal with Harlequin MIRA, Bella's Sullivan series will be released in paperback in a major global English language launch in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia in continuous back-to-back releases from June 2013 through March 2014.

Known for "sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance" (Publishers Weekly), her books have been Cosmopolitan Magazine "Red Hot Reads" twice, have been translated into nine languages, and her Sullivan books are already Top 20 bestsellers in Brazil. Winner of the Award of Excellence, The Washington Post has called her "One of the top digital writers in America" and she has been featured by NPR, USA Today, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and most recently in TIME Magazine. She has given keynote speeches at publishing conferences from Copenhagen to Berlin to San Francisco, including a standing-room-only keynote at Book Expo America in 2012 on her self-publishing success.

If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100 year old log cabin in the Adirondacks.

For a complete listing of books, as well as excerpts and contests, and to connect with Bella:.

Visit Bella's website at: http://www.BellaAndre.com.

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